Social Work and Direct Payments
In this essay I am going to critic, evaluate and analyse direct payments and the implications they have had on social work practice.
The Direct Payments Act 1996 enabled local authorities to offer cash in lieu of social services. They were introduced for adults of working age in April 2007 and extended to include older disabled people in 2000. Since April 2001 direct payments have also been available to parents of disabled children, 16 and 17 years and carers.
Direct Payments have also been extended to people with short term needs for example someone who needs help at home while recovering from an operation and for Children Act services to help disabled parents. Since April 2003 regulations came into force requiring councils to offer direct payments to all people using community care services. Direct payments may also be used to pay for education, leisure, assistance or services to help service users to be fully involved in family and community life, and to engage in work.
As we are aware the government is committed to revitalising modern public services offering range quality and choice to service users. This has been done and should continue being done by taking as a starting point at all times service users’ opinions (voice) including carers and families. By doing so social workers are able to listen to their experiences and get to know what they want from their services. In this way service users contribute to the improvement of quality of services provided and they may also feel empowered as their voice counts and is taken into consideration when it comes to making decisions.
Dame Denise Plat DBE 2004:2 states that “we have been listening from the start. And no matter what their age or background, people tell us they want social care services which offer choice, control, independence and flexibility.” Direct Payments facilitate for this as they enable people to choose and pay for their social care.
However access to and using direct payments is
The Direct Payments Act 1996 enabled local authorities to offer cash in lieu of social services. They were introduced for adults of working age in April 2007 and extended to include older disabled people in 2000. Since April 2001 direct payments have also been available to parents of disabled children, 16 and 17 years and carers.
Direct Payments have also been extended to people with short term needs for example someone who needs help at home while recovering from an operation and for Children Act services to help disabled parents. Since April 2003 regulations came into force requiring councils to offer direct payments to all people using community care services. Direct payments may also be used to pay for education, leisure, assistance or services to help service users to be fully involved in family and community life, and to engage in work.
As we are aware the government is committed to revitalising modern public services offering range quality and choice to service users. This has been done and should continue being done by taking as a starting point at all times service users’ opinions (voice) including carers and families. By doing so social workers are able to listen to their experiences and get to know what they want from their services. In this way service users contribute to the improvement of quality of services provided and they may also feel empowered as their voice counts and is taken into consideration when it comes to making decisions.
Dame Denise Plat DBE 2004:2 states that “we have been listening from the start. And no matter what their age or background, people tell us they want social care services which offer choice, control, independence and flexibility.” Direct Payments facilitate for this as they enable people to choose and pay for their social care.
However access to and using direct payments is
Bibliography: Carlin, J. and Lenehan, C. (2004) Direct experience: A guide for councils on the implementations of direct payments in children’s services, London: Council for Disabled Children Dalrymple, J. and Burke, B. (1999) Anti Oppressive Practice Social Work and the Law Buckingham: Open University Press Department of Health (1996) Community Care (Direct Payments) Act, London: